Pushing the Door Open Comes with a "Gift"

The three of them stood in front of the door to Dorm Seven, having grown somewhat familiar with each other after chatting all the way there.

Luo Yan and his troll-like personality effortlessly pried open a crack in Tang San's psychological defenses.

Along the entire journey out of Holy Soul Village, old Jack repeatedly instructed him to speak less and do more when away from home, avoid stirring up trouble, and endure things as they came.

Having lived two lives, Tang San did not plan to follow all of it, but he knew how to rein himself in when necessary better than anyone else.

Yet Luo Yan possessed a strange talent that made it impossible for anyone to maintain silence.

From the administration office to Dorm Seven, a route taking no more than three minutes in total, Luo Yan already asked Tang San thirty-seven questions.

"How long can your Blue Silver Grass grow?"

"...Never measured it."

"Can you use it as a rope?"

"Yes."

"Can you weave it into a basket?"

"..."

"Can you tie it into a swing?"

"...Theoretically, yes."

Xiao Wu walked in the middle, glancing at Luo Yan on her left and Tang San on her right, before suddenly letting out a very loud "tch."

She was extremely dissatisfied with Luo Yan's sudden indifference.

Yet Luo Yan had no intention of paying attention to her at all.

The silence grew somewhat long.

Tang San lowered his gaze, looking at a spot three paces ahead of his own toes. The heels of Luo Yan's boots tapped out a brisk rhythm against the ground, and Xiao Wu's little skirt swayed back and forth like a pink-and-white flag.

Come to think of it, when was the last time someone chatted with him like this, sentence after sentence?

In his previous life? Back at the Tang Sect, his fellow disciples went out of their way to avoid him.

The deeper he practiced the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, the fewer people remained around him, until finally he was left all alone, pondering hidden weapons and poisons.

In this life at Holy Soul Village, his father rarely spoke to him, and the village children were unwilling to play with him, so things naturally turned out this way over time.

Therefore, when Luo Yan tossed out the third question regarding whether Blue Silver Grass could be used as a clothesline, Tang San suddenly realized.

He could no longer remember when was the last time someone so matter-of-factly treated him as an "equal."

"Is this Dorm Seven?" Xiao Wu's voice pulled him back.

He raised his head, seeing a detached bungalow in front of him. A faded wooden sign hung from the lintel, with the two words "Dorm Seven" written crookedly upon it.

The door was ajar, and voices came from inside.

Luo Yan stepped forward, his hand pressing against the door as he prepared to push it open.

The voices inside stopped for a single instant, followed immediately by several low, suppressed, and excited snickers.

Oh~ laughing so happily? Then let me have a laugh too!

Luo Yan's lips suddenly curled upward.

Pledge of Delusional Joy! Activate!

After I push open the door, the very first conflict that occurs, I will definitely be able to dodge it perfectly, and the loser of this conflict will definitely drop their pants.

He pushed the door open.

Creak—

The door had barely opened halfway when a dark shadow flew out from the dim room.

It was a bench.

Spinning, its four legs wrapped in the sound of the wind, the trajectory straight and tricky, it headed straight for Luo Yan's face.

Luo Yan stepped his left foot to the side, his entire body smoothly spinning half a circle sideways. The bench flew past his lapel, failing to brush even a single strand of hair.

Tang San and Xiao Wu behind him moved at the same time.

Tang San reached out his right hand, his five fingers spread wide, his palm precisely pressing against one of the legs of the bench. With a push and a release, he neutralized a large portion of the spinning force.

Xiao Wu's left leg swept in from the side, the back of her foot striking the other side of the bench.

With the combination of two forces, that piece of broken wood let out a muffled sound in midair and exploded into pieces, sending wood splinters scattering all over the floor with a rattle.

The room fell silent for an instant.

Then Wang Sheng strode out from the back of the crowd, his build as sturdy as a small calf, his arms crossed over his chest, the stubble on his chin particularly striking in the dim light.

"Yo~"

His voice was drawn out very long, carrying a deliberately put-on tone. "Newcomers? You've got some moves."

He walked to the center of the room and came to a stop, his gaze sweeping in turn across Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Luo Yan, who was leaning against the doorway.

"My name is Wang Sheng. This room belongs to me. If you want to move in, you have to get past me first."

"What do you mean?" Tang San asked, uncomprehending.

"Doesn't mean anything, just making you understand the rules!"

Tang San walked over to an empty bed. "No bedding?"

Wang Sheng, with a head full of bumps, cautiously pulled up his pants with one hand and sidled over. "We work-study students are exempt from tuition, so there's no bedding."

Tang San nodded, and Wang Sheng lowered his voice, leaning in a bit closer.

"Um, boss, we have a rule in Dorm Seven..."

"What rule?" Tang San asked with curiosity.

"Whoever is strongest is the boss, what do you think?" Wang Sheng's eyes shifted toward Xiao Wu and Luo Yan, who were observing the dormitory.

"We don't need to do that, do we?" A trace of difficulty appeared on Tang San's face.

"No, no, no, there can only be one boss." Wang Sheng poked him in the lower back with his finger.

Helpless, Tang San had no choice but to take a step toward them.

At this very step, the expression on Luo Yan's face changed instantly as he raised both hands.

"I concede, I concede, I can't beat you." As he spoke, he even took two steps back, retreating directly behind Xiao Wu, an action so swift it left even Tang San startled.

Although he hadn't heard what they said, he could roughly guess what Wang Sheng was instigating Tang San to do.

Are you kidding me? He wasn't blind just now; he saw how brutally Tang San fought.

His own physical combat skills were still stuck at the campus-brawl level of his previous life. Let him fight someone who was a sect disciple in his past life?

Forget it. Just look at Wang Sheng and his head full of bumps—he didn't want to try, at least not right now.

Tang San's gaze lingered on his face for a split second, as if trying to determine whether he was genuinely admitting defeat or plotting some other trick again.

Yet Luo Yan's expression was sincere to a ridiculous degree, his eyes clear, revealing not a single trace of a flaw.

"You're certainly decisive," Tang San remarked, though his tone made it impossible to tell whether it was praise or helplessness.

"Wise men submit to circumstances, after all." Luo Yan patted Xiao Wu's shoulder righteously. "You two fight, I'll act as your referee."

Wang Sheng grew anxious off to the side. "Then won't the new boss—"

"Isn't there still her?" Luo Yan motioned toward Xiao Wu with his chin.

Hearing this, Xiao Wu turned her head and blinked those big eyes of hers. "What do you mean, still me?"

"Tang San beat Wang Sheng, and now he has to beat me up too to establish his status."

Luo Yan summarized concisely, adding one final sentence: "I conceded, so now it's your turn."

After listening, Xiao Wu's gaze landed on Tang San.

Tang San was looking at her as well.

The two of them exchanged a glance for a moment.

"Fine," Xiao Wu said, turning around and dusting off her hands where no dust existed. "I also want to see who is truly stronger."

Tang San's brow furrowed slightly. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Tang San was silent for two seconds, seemingly weighing something.

In the end, however, he did not refuse, merely withdrawing his hands from his sleeves and letting them hang at his sides.

"We'll stop as soon as a point is made."

"Rest assured." Xiao Wu was already warming up her wrists and ankles, her movements casual yet fluid. "I won't beat you up too miserably."

The two stood facing each other in the center of the room, separated by a distance of about five paces.

Wang Sheng and the other work-study students retreated to the edge of the wall, clearing the space in the middle.

Someone pulled over a long bench and sat down, while others crouched on the bed planks, every single one of them stretching their necks out long with glowing eyes.

Luo Yan found a spot against the wall with the best view and stood there, arms crossed, wearing an expression that clearly said he was ready to watch a great show.

Whoever loses will eat dirt.

"Begin," he said.